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Lori knocked once, waited for Dayton to invite her in, then entered.
“Hey, Lori.” Dayton rose to greet her, shaking her hand. “Thanks for coming. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, tea? Something stronger, seeing as it’s Friday?”
“I’m good, thanks.” She set her bag on the floor and removed her laptop, reaching into the middle of the conference table for the HDMI lead to connect her computer to the presentation screen.
His brow puckered. “Are you?”
She ordered her lips to smile. Dayton Somers was an astute man. Not much got past him. Focus, Lori. “Of course. How are you?”
He stared for a split second, then took a seat. “Excited to see what you’ve come up with.”
She grinned at his apparent enthusiasm. “No pressure.”
“Have confidence,” he said. “I wouldn’t have hired you if I didn’t think you had the skills required to help me bring this new venture to life.”
Confidence was always something Zane had in spades. It came naturally to him. She faked it, but so far, it was a strategy that she’d found success with.
Stop thinking about Zane. For god’s sake.
The screen came to life, and she turned her presentation to the first slide. As she took Dayton through the plans she’d spent the last few weeks working on night and day, she finally managed to stop thinking about the man who’d haunted her dreams since she’d seen him at that restaurant. Dayton listened to her pitch, interjecting on occasion with laser-sharp questions, some of which she hadn’t thought of. She jotted down notes and assured him she’d return with solutions by the time of their next meeting.
Dayton walked her to the elevator. They shook hands, and Lori gave him a final wave and a smile before the doors closed. Back in the lobby, she handed in her visitor’s pass to the receptionist and made her way toward the exit.
She stuttered to a stop and froze.
Coming toward her was Zane. He saw her a split second later, and he, too, spluttered to a halt. His full lips were parted, eyes wide, and he blinked quickly, almost as if he didn’t trust his eyes.
“Lori?”
Her heart raced, and her brain whirred at a million miles per hour. “Zane. How lovely to see you.” Jeez. She sounded like a robot programmed to give staccato, impersonal responses.
He strode toward her until they were toe to toe. The smell of his cologne tickled her nostrils, but beneath the synthetic scent was a muskiness that was all Zane. Her throat thickened as suppressed memories flooded back, knocking her off balance with their intensity.
“God, Lori… you look… I mean…” He raked a hand through his hair. “Hi.”
She smiled at his tentative greeting. Less than five minutes ago, she’d been thinking about his supreme confidence. He wasn’t acting confident right now, not that she blamed him. She could barely stand upright.
“Hi yourself. How have you been?”
“Yeah good. Great. You?”
“Can’t complain. What are you doing here?”
“I have a meeting with the CEO.”
“Dayton?” Her forehead wrinkled. “Me, too. Well, I mean, I’ve just finished my meeting with him. What a coincidence.”
“Oh yeah?” He shifted to the side to allow a couple of suits to pass. “Have you left him in a good mood? I’m hoping to win the liquor business for a new venture he’s moving into.”
She nodded. “The hotels. I’m supporting on the business development side.”
“Wow. That’s amazing. It’s great to see you’re killing it.”
The brilliance of his smile flipped her stomach over. He eased back his suit jacket, revealing a watch from a recognizable designer. She wasn’t the only one killing it. Pride bloomed in her chest, and she yearned to tell him, but the words stuck in her throat. It wasn’t her place. That was his girlfriend’s job.
“Well, I guess… I guess I’d better go. Any tips for how to handle him?”
“Be confident and don’t bullshit. He’s firm but fair.”
